Officer tells Peabody
he can’t continue alone
Staff writer
Peabody’s lone police officer, Charles Walker, warned city council members last week that he could not continue handling the city’s police work alone without risking his health.
Walker said he had opened 91 cases since June 1, an average of about two a day, and made four arrests, including two felony and two misdemeanor.
He also was handling code enforcement complaints involving burned houses and other buildings considered unsafe for people to occupy.
“I’m getting tired,” Walker said. “I’m literally working from home on my days off. I need help.”
Walker said he had conducted felony traffic stops alone while waiting for county deputies to arrive and had received police calls as late as 10 p.m. after taking medication to sleep.
“I can’t sustain this, not having any days off,” he said. “The second that it starts affecting my health, I’m gone, guys.”
Walker thanked mayor Bailey Penner, city administrator Paul Leeker, council members and residents for supporting him after his father’s death last month but said appreciation was not enough to solve the department’s staffing problem.
“The thanks and the good jobs just aren’t enough,” he said. “We’ve got to get something moving to where I can get people in here to help.”
Council members then voted 5-0 to advertise for another officer, either part- or full-time, rather than wait for the city’s search for a police chief to conclude.
“We’ve got to get help,” council member Andy Rosine said. “We can’t wait for the chief.”
The chief position has been advertised through the Kansas Peace Officers Association since July 7. A search committee was scheduled to organize Tuesday, but officials said no timetable had been established for hiring a chief.
Appointments
Council members also began rebuilding the city’s code enforcement program by appointing Pandea Smith zoning administrator and Denise Jantz public health and safety officer. Both appointments were approved 5-0.
Smith will handle zoning, planning and permits. Jantz, hired as a contract worker, will focus on unsafe buildings, excessive rubbish, weeds and other health and safety problems.
Jantz said she planned to document inspections, track deadlines and cases, and provide written reports so council members could measure what was being accomplished. She said dangerous properties would receive priority and residents generally would be given opportunities to correct problems before formal action was taken.
Officials acknowledged that enforcement eventually could require legal action and agreed the city attorney and prosecutor should be involved before serious cases were brought to the council.
Jantz said enforcement would have to be applied consistently, regardless of who owned a property.
“I’m not here to make friends,” she said. “I’m here to make it better.”
Computers
Council members spent a substantial portion of the meeting discussing replacement computers before approving as many as 10 laptops for no more than $20,000.
The proposal began as seven laptops for no more than $12,000 but expanded after council members clarified that all four computers used by police and municipal court would need to meet criminal justice security requirements.
Six laptops would be issued to the mayor and council members. Four would replace computers in the police department and court. 53% of the city’s computers were at least six years old.
The city also will prepare rules governing use and return of city-owned computers. The purchase may be divided among the general fund, police diversion money and civil asset-forfeiture money.
Sales tax
Council members also discussed whether to ask voters to continue the city’s 1% sales tax or increase it to 1.5%.
The tax generates roughly $125,000 a year and could be used to support borrowing for major street work. Leeker said losing it would remove more than 10% from a projected general fund budget of roughly $960,000.
Only eight people attended a previous town hall meeting. Leeker agreed to publish comparisons showing what the existing tax and a 1.5% tax could provide, as well as what losing the tax would mean for the city budget.
Council members expect to consider ballot language in August. It must be submitted to the county by Sept. 1.
Other business
In other business, council members:
- Approved spending $6,750 to install and repair an older rotating tornado siren. It will remain as a backup even if the city later buys a new warning system.
- Approved a 10-year agreement with USD 398 for school use of city athletic facilities after an earlier proposed 25-year term was shortened.
- Voted 4-1 to reimburse Jean Knapp $695 after she complained that porch staining done through a housing rehabilitation project did not match what she had requested. Rodney Hague opposed the reimbursement.
- Agreed to advertise for a full-time city clerk after staffing shortages forced the city office to close on Thursdays.